St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-11-20

koxt I tendance al q clf-
Gus entaled for
SSGS fixture of mem
~ bership. That the
i church ; h Guild
Ny Il ever tolerate. pat
W N rOnlZe or even re-
HALS cOgniZe as an ed
u...... ne circu, was a possibility that
probably entered into the dreams of no
man but myself. and perhaps no man
but myself believed it possible to or
ganizr circus which should respect the
church and al pertaining to ii. la these
DAYS the circus was very Justly
the object of the church
animadyersiOnS. Its spectacular
attraction consisted principally of
six to ten entree horses with riders; two
fairly good equeStrianS, whose standing
feats on horseback were made on a
broad pad saddle: half dozen appren-
tee BOYS. who rode more or less land
rather less than morej and joined in flip
flaps. hand-SpringS and i'll the after
piece. The Tailor of TamwOrth' or
'.Pctc Jenkins" in which drunken
characters were represented and broad
Jokes. suited to the surroundings, were
given.
Its fun consisted of the clowns vulgar
tests. emphasized with still more vulgar
and Suggestive gestures. lest prOYiden-
tiaily the point might be lost. EdUca-
tional features the circus OF that day
had none. Its employees were mostly OF
the roWdy element, and it had follow
ing of card-sharpers, pickpOckets and
sWindlerS generally. who were cOun
tenanced by some of the circus pr0prie-
tors. with whom they shared their i'll
gotten gains. Its advent was
dreaded by all law-abiding peO-
pie. who knew that with It would
inevitably come disorder, drunken
ness and riot. 1t will scarcely be be-
lieyed that it was the custom of such
circuSes to engage in advance the fire
men Of The town they proposed to visit
To help TO protect the circus company
against possible attacks from the rab-
BILE. vino were apt.tO he beligerently i'll
dignant when too OutrageGusly victim
lied. Some circus prOprietOrs paid no
salary to their ticket-SelerS, but let
them cheat it out of their customers by
giving them short change i'll the rush
ami excitement which usually prevailed
around the ticket wagon.
THE MISSION OF TIE CIRCUS.
Every one in these enlightened days
comedies that human nature impera-
tiVeiy demands amusement and recrea-
ton. The childish mind to which all
the world is yet fresh and interesting
and the faded brain of the adult cali
with equal insistence for something
new and strange" Granted the neceS-
sity of amuSementS and the deSlraDlllty
of their being morally clean and health
ful and instructive. the prOvider of such
entertainments is a public benefactor
and may reasonably ask for his wares
the coun{enance of the church.
The SO-called circus of to-day, with, |
regret to say. some exceptions. Is
widely different affair from that of the
past. When under proper management
ii is decOrous and orderly in operation
and composed of features which appeal
to all ages, classes and conditions.
While mOdestly submitting to bear the
generic title of circus genuine tent eX-
hibition under that name must comprise
a menagarie and museum, the
accommodating of which neces-
STATED diligent searching of the
whole earth at an incredible pecuniary
outlay In the proper circus of to-day
the athlete demonstrates the perfection
of training of which the human body is
capable. His featS of strength and
graceful agility please the understand
ing as well as the eye, and if the aver
age small boy does stand on his head
and practice turning ''hand-Springs'
and ''tiip-fapS" with eXasperating
persistence for three weeks running
after going to the circ Us his physique
will be all the better for it. The Jug
gler shows the marvellous precision and
nicely of touch which can be acquired
by patient practice. In the real circus
of to-day the intelligent lover of horse
flesh will find the finest specimens of
the equine race trained to do almost
anything but talk.
There the scientific mind is attracted
by such strange examples of mechanism
as the talking machine, an ingenious
duplicate of the structure of the human
throat. giving forth under manipulation
a very human if not very sweet voice.
The ethnOlOgist finds gathered to-
gether for his leiSUrely inspection rep
resentativeS of notable and peculiar
tribes, civilized and savage. from far
distant landscapes which otherwise he
would never see, as they can only be
sought in their native countries at the
risk of life and at all expenditure of
time and money possible to very few
The menageric of wild beasts, birds and
reptiles-compriSing every curious spec
linen of animal life, from the deniZens
of the tOrrid African jungle to those of
the polar regiOnS-form a study that will
impart more valuable information in
reading books on zoology in year.
MORALITY OF EMPLOYEES.
The morality of genuine circus
troupe compares fayOrably with that of
any equal number of any other profess
sion or trade Many of them are edu-
Gated and intelligent; most are loyal TO
strong family affections and TO such do
meSticity as is attainable while travel
ing. For the rest, they are obliged to
behave well. The circus proprietor has
more complete jurisdiction over his
employees than any pastor over his
congregation. Would any clergyman
dare to punish profanity by fine and
drunkenness by expulsion? Which is
exactly what the best type of circus
proprietor can do and does. He has the
whip hand, and retains during the sea-
son proportion of the employees sal
airy, which he receives at the end of the
season if his record is good, not other
wise. Business interests compel strict
discipline, and who shall say that the
emplOye who is compelled to behave
well is not, at the end of the season,
somewhat the better for eight months
Of compulsory sobriety, civility and
orderly living?
The best circus of to-day is not fair
mark for the church'S hostility, and
while the circus has advanced in merit,
the church has no less grown in tOler-
ance. In my capacity of circus prOprie-
tor / have been the recipient of many
fiattering and amusing amenities on the
part of the church. As, for instance,
when OH Sunday evening, May 81, 1882.
| entered the Church of the Messiah.
New York CITY, Rev. Robert COllVer